
The King Neighborhood Welcomes Portland's First Upscale Balkan Restaurant
One of the Portland area's most promising chefs is about to take his pop-up to its permanent location. Vedran Jordan will host the grand opening for his Alma on Friday, June 13. Jordan's run to this opening is the stuff of modern-day restaurant fable: He came to the country as a 12-year-old refugee from Sarajevo, cut his teeth cooking at Bamboo Sushi, Gado Gado, Oma's Hideaway, with chef Gregory Gourdet at Kann, and then opened Alma in honor of his mother. Getting ready for the Balkan restaurant's opening, he's focused on making sure the kitchen lives up to all that hype. 'I feel extremely lucky to have the crew that I have,' Jordan says. 'Currently, everyone is really putting everything they have into it. I really can't be more thankful.'
The food and drink at the reservation-only restaurant include a suite of 'Ottoman-era' dishes. Since announcing the debut, a few more items have been added to the opening roster. The imam bayildi is a particular highlight in Jordan's mind, a half-roasted eggplant marinated overnight in water with added Vegeta — sort of like a 'Bosnian MSG,' Jordan says — before the innards are scooped out and tossed with aromatics, chilies, and tomatoes. It's then served with toum yogurt and green zhoug. The kanpachi crudo arrives dressed in black Moroccan salt, housemade citrus kosho, and ginger, the fish itself sourced from local purveyor Aji Fish Butchery. The baba ghanoush and lamb shank are no small feats, either.
The drinks at Alma are thoughtfully prepared by beverage director Chris Mateja, formerly of Nightingale. Liquors from all over, including South America and the Balkans, feature on the vibrant, bright cocktails. There are three rakias on the menu, too. Rakia is a Balkan fruit brandy, and at Alma, grape, plum, and a secret third flavor are all featured, with three more coming down the road. The spirits are custom-made for the restaurant by Andy Garrison from Tuff Talk Distilling.
Mostly, the restaurant — a pretty space in the King neighborhood — is meant to be a positive impact on the community. During the first week, five percent of all sales proceeds will be donated to The Sameer Project, a donations-based aid initiative led by Palestinians. On the local level, Jeremy Fong works as the chef de cuisine, Mo Morales as sous chef, and Emily Gilmer as general manager. This cast of characters is just as important to Jordan as any other part of the business; he says, if he's lucky, Alma will be known for its hard working, compassionate pros. 'Something that's very sustainable,' he says, 'I want to make sure people are pursuing their passions and always learning.'
Alma (5237 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) opens Friday, June 13 with opening hours from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday to Monday, by reservation only.
Sign up for our newsletter.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cameron Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu debut bold new hairstyles at Saints minicamp
A couple of New Orleans Saints veterans made their 2025 debuts in reporting for work at Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice -- and two of them were sporting bold new hairstyles. Change is nothing new for Cameron Jordan, who has had some fun with his NFL-mandated headshot each season over the years, but his new platinum locks inspired by HBO's "House of the Dragon" series are something else. Jordan started binging the popular "Game of Thrones" spinoff this summer and picked up some fashion tips along the way. "I wanted to be a Velaryon," Jordan told reporters after practice, referring to one of the noble houses known for their distinctive bleach-blonde hair. "And I was like, 'You know what, this guy. This guy's got something going on.' Now granted, I thought I'd do the beard, too, but I didn't like the way the fumes was rising. So I kept it exactly how I wanted to. I think this is me. I'll see how long it lasts." But Jordan wasn't the only Saints veteran switching it up. Tyrann Mathieu has worn dreads for most of his 12-year NFL career, but he cut them off back earlier this spring. Speaking with reporters at his locker, he joked that "I was trying to shave some years off" before celebrating his 33rd birthday in May. Maybe the change can help him. Mathieu has intercepted 36 passes in his NFL career, trailing only Harrison Smith (37) for the most among active players. He wants that title for himself, and if a fresh cut puts a spring in his step, then so be it. This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints minicamp: Cameron Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu debut bold hairstyles


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Cameron Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu debut bold new hairstyles at Saints minicamp
Cameron Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu debut bold new hairstyles at Saints minicamp 'I was trying to shave some years off' A couple of New Orleans Saints veterans made their 2025 debuts in reporting for work at Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice -- and two of them were sporting bold new hairstyles. Change is nothing new for Cameron Jordan, who has had some fun with his NFL-mandated headshot each season over the years, but his new platinum locks inspired by HBO's "House of the Dragon" series are something else. Jordan started binging the popular "Game of Thrones" spinoff this summer and picked up some fashion tips along the way. "I wanted to be a Velaryon," Jordan told reporters after practice, referring to one of the noble houses known for their distinctive bleach-blonde hair. "And I was like, 'You know what, this guy. This guy's got something going on.' Now granted, I thought I'd do the beard, too, but I didn't like the way the fumes was rising. So I kept it exactly how I wanted to. I think this is me. I'll see how long it lasts." But Jordan wasn't the only Saints veteran switching it up. Tyrann Mathieu has worn dreads for most of his 12-year NFL career, but he cut them off back earlier this spring. Speaking with reporters at his locker, he joked that "I was trying to shave some years off" before celebrating his 33rd birthday in May. Maybe the change can help him. Mathieu has intercepted 36 passes in his NFL career, trailing only Harrison Smith (37) for the most among active players. He wants that title for himself, and if a fresh cut puts a spring in his step, then so be it.


New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
Michael Jordan's NBC payday remains a mystery after $40 million rumor
Michael Jordan is a billionaire, but he's reportedly not going to be adding $40 million annually from NBC to that sum. It was revealed about a month ago that Jordan would be joining NBC's NBA coverage beginning next season as a special contributor, which immediately sparked rumors about how much the network might be paying the 62-year-old. Many believed the annual number for Jordan to be $40 million, but Front Office Sports' Ryan Glasspiegel reported that the number is 'inaccurate.' 3 Michael Jordan will be a special correspondent for NBC Sports' NBA coverage in the fall. AP Speculation about the NBA legend and former Bulls star's payday spread on social media after the US Sun reported it, and Stephen A. Smith even spoke on it under the belief of it being true. A $40 million-per-year salary would be roughly double what Charles Barkley makes from TNT, per Glasspiegel. What Jordan's NBC role will entail is a bit of a mystery, as all that's known came from a CNBC outline that noted, 'The initial plan is for Jordan to appear in taped segments during the season to provide analysis that will air during pregame shows or halftime shows.' 3 Michael Jordan was rumored to be getting paid $40 million to join NBC but the official number remains a mystery. Getty Images While his definitive role and the money he'll be making remain unclear, one thing seems for certain: Jordan won't shy away from keeping it real on air. 'He's going to be brutally honest — I can assure you that,' Smith said. 'He's not going to be somebody who's going to be passive. … The Michael Jordan I know, when talking basketball, he is as candid as it gets. He ain't trying to hurt nobody's feelings. He ain't trying to be insulting — but he's going to tell you what's going on.' 3 Michael Jordan during a Bulls game against the SuperSonics in 1996. NBAE via Getty Images The six-time NBA champion and Finals MVP has rarely made TV appearances since his retirement, but NBC acquiring rights for NBA coverage seemingly made him change his tune. 'I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,' Jordan said. 'The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I'm excited about being a special contributor to the project. I'm looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.'